Machine for shaping uppers over lasts



April 1934- B. B. BLANCHARD MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed May 31, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 g N+NI 6 4.; we Zw A ril 24, 1934. B. B. BLANCHARD 1,955,870

MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed May 31, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 1934- B. B. BLANCHARD MACHINE FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed May 51, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.5.

Patented Apr, 24%, 1934 MAiJHINE FOR SHAEING UPPERS OVER LASTS- Application May 31, 1933, Serial No. 673,620

14 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoes for shaping uppers over lasts, and more particularly to machines that op crate successively in diiierent locations along the Q edge of the shoe bottom, as the shoe is presented and held by the operator successii ely in difierent positions, to pull the upper and to lay its marginal portion inwardly over a sole or insole on the last and fasten it. The invention is herein illustrated as applied to'a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,796,451, granted on March 17, 1931 upon an application of George Goddu, which is provided with means for fastening the upper to a lip or rib (hereinafter referred to as the lip) of an insole. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to machines of that particular type nor to machines that fasten the upper to an insole lip.

Machines that operate to last shoes progres- 20 sively as above described are eachcommonly provided with a shoe rest against which the operator holds the bottom of the shoe and which supports the shoe against the pull on the upper heightwise of the last, this shoe rest also assisting by its engagement with the sole or insole in holding the shoe against lateral displacement by the force applied in laying the margin of the upper inwardly into position to be fastened. In operating on a shoe that has an insole provided with a lip the shoe rest commonly engages the inner face of the lip, and in holding the shoe against lateral displacement it acts, therefore, mainly by its pressure against the lip.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a machine of the above-mentioned character improved means to cooperate with the shoe rest in holding a shoe against lateral displacement, and accordingly, if the shoe rest engages an insole lip as above described, to relieve the lip of much of the strain thereon. For the purpose in view the construction herein shown comprises a member formed to penetrate the insole to assist in holding the shoe, together with novel means for shooting and controlling movements of the memher into and out of insole-engaging position. As illustrated, this member is forced by a spring into engagement with the insole when released by a latch that acts independently of the overlaying means to hold it initially in a retracted position, the latch being operated to release the member by the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe. The return of the member to its initial position, so that the shoe may be readily moved by the operator into position for the next operation thereon, is effected in the construction herein shown by the action of mechanism with which machines of the illustrated type are provided for transferring upper-fastening staples into position to be driven into the shoe. For this purpose there is provided a latch that by *movement of the staple-transferring mechanism is connected with the insole-engaging member and is then operated to withdraw the member from the shoe as the overlaying means is move-d reversely away from the shoe, the member thus being carried into position to be held by the previously mentioned latch until it is again released to render it operative.

The novel features of the invention will now be more particularly'described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in right-hand side elevation of a portion of a machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a portion of the structure in front elevation, with parts broken away; V

Fig. 4 is a view'also in front elevation of. a portion of the structure;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of certain parts shown in Figs. 1 and 3; and

Fig." 6 is a view of certain parts in left-hand side elevation with a shoe shown in crosssection, illustrating the positions of the parts at onestage in the operation of the machine.

Since the invention is herein illustrated as applied to amachine constructed as fully disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent, only such parts of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of the invention will be described in detail. The machine is proided with a shoe rest 10 arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe presented and held by the operator in different positions successively for the progressive lasting of the shoe along its opposite sides. As herein illustrated by reference to the lasting of shoes in which the upper is fastened in lasted position to a lip a on an insole, the shoe rest 10 is constructed and arranged to engage the inner side of the lip to determine the lateral position of the'shoe in each lasting operation and also to clinch staples driven through the upper and the lip to fasten the upper-to the lip. For pulling the upper in each lasting location the machine is provided with a gripper 12 having upper-gripping jaws 14 which grip the upper and pull it heightwise of the last and inwardly over the'insole, the'gripper being moved heightwise of the last by an updraw lever 16 and moved inwardly over the insole about its pivotal connection with the lever 16 by an overdraw rod 18, as fully described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent.

For laying the margin of the upper over the insole and fastening it in each lasting location, as also disclosed in said Letters Patent, there is mounted for movements along guideways formed on a bracket 20 on the head of the machine a slide 22 provided at its forward end with a stapleguidingnozzle 24. The slide is thus movable in a forwardly and downwardly inclined direction to cause the nozzle 24 to engage the tensioned marginal portion of the upper, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and to lay the upper over the feather and against the lip of the insole. The slide 22 is moved forwardly and retracted by a path cam 26 in engagement with a roll 28 on the slide. Supported also on the slide 22 is a staple driver 30 to which staple-driving movement is impart ed by a spring-operated lever 32 after the slide has completed its forward movement toward the shoe. By the forward movement of the slide a staple is formed in a position above the path of movement of the driver 30 by means not herein shown in detail but fully illustrated and described in the above-mentioned Letters Patent. For transferring the staple downwardly into the path of movement of the driver there is mounted on the slide 22 for movements in directions at right angles to the path of movement of the latter a transferring slide 34 connected by a link 36 to the forward end of one arm of a bell-crank lever 38 fulcrumed at 40 on the head of the machine, the other arm of this lever carrying a roll 42 controlled by a peripheral cam 44. A. spring 46 operates this lever to impart downward staple-transferring movement to the slide 34 when permitted by the cam, and the cam thereafter acts positively to impart to the slide its upward movement. Such staple-transferring movement of the slide 34 occurs just after the slide 22 has completed its forward movement toward the shoe. The staple is then driven. after which the slide 34 is moved upwardly and the slide 22 is retracted to its starting position.

In general similarity also to the disclosure of the prior Letters Patent mentioned the shoe rest 10 is so mounted as to permit it to yield if upper materials of unusual thickness are clamped against the lip of the insole by the staple nozzle 24, but the parts which permit such yield are constructed and arranged somewhat differently than heretofore. As illustrated, the member 10 is secured to an arm 48 (Fig. 3) which is part of a shoe rest holder 49 and is integral with a sleeve 50 extending within another sleeve 52 clamped by a screw 54 (Fig. l) in a split bearing formed on the stationary bracket 26. Ex tending upwardly from the sleeve 50 is an arm 56 which is engaged on one side by a stop screw 58 mounted in an arm 60 that extends upwardly from the sleeve 52. On its other side the arm 56 is engaged by a spring 62 mounted in a part of the bracket 20. The sleeve 50 may turn within the stationary sleeve 52, and accordingly the shoe rest 10 may yield against the resistance of I the spring 62 under conditions such as above described. The screw 58 cooperates with the spring to determine adjustably the normal position of the shoe rest.

For purposes of this invention there is mounted within a recess in one side of the shoe rest holder 49 a member 64 having guideways for an upwardly and downwardly movable slide 66 on the lower end portion of which is clamped a member 68 for engaging the insole near the shoe rest 10, this member having prongs 70 (Fig. 3) on its lower end to penetrate the insole. The member 64 has a boss 72 projecting therefrom within a portion of the sleeve 50, this boss having therein a threaded bore to receive the end of a screw '74 which projects through the sleeve 50 and has on its outer end a head 76 (Fig. 1) overlapping a washer '78, this washer overlapping the end of the stationary sleeve 52. It will thus be seen that the screw '74 serves both to hold the member 64 in place on the shoe rest holder 49 and also to maintain the sleeve 56 in proper position within the sleeve 52 while permitting the sleeve 50 to turn as above described. The slide 66 is pivotally connected at its upper end to a block 80 mounted for upward and downward movements on a stem 82 that projects upwardly from the member 64. A spring 84 on the stem 82 tends to move the block 86 downwardly and thus to force the member 68 into engagement with the insole. Until a predetermined time, however, in each cycle of operations of the machine the member 68 is held upward out of insole-engaging position by a latch 86 which is pivotally mounted on the block 82 and is arranged to hook over the upper face of a projection 88 formed on a block 90, this block being mounted on a reduced portion of the stem 82 and being held against a shoulder on the stem by nuts 92. The block 90 serves as an abutment for the upper end of the spring 84. A spring 94 connected to the block 96 and to the latch 86 holds the latch normally in operative relation to the projection 88 with the member 68 retracted from insole-engaging position.

At that time in the cycle of the machine when the slide 22 has just started its forward movement to cause the staple nozzle 24 to lay the upper over the insole the latch 86 is withdrawn from the projection 88, thus rendering the spring 84 effective to force the block 80 and the slide 66 downward to cause the prongs '70 of the member 68 to penetrate the insole. For this purpose there is mounted on an arm 96 on the slide 22 a spring blade 98 on the forward end of which (Fig. 5) there is a lateral projection 100 arranged to engage a lug 102 on the latch 86 and thus to swing the latch away from the projection 88 as the slide 22 moves forwardly. As the slide continues its forward movement the projection 160 on the spring blade 98 rides over the top of the lug 102, thus permitting the latch 86 to be pulled back by the spring 94 into contact with the projection 88. Since, however, the latch has been moved downward with the block 80, it merely abuts at this time against the forward edge of the projection 88. When the spring blade 98 is retracted with the slide 22 its projection 160 rides up an inclined face 104 on the lug 102 and is thus guided over the top of the lug.

It will thus be seen that at the time in each cycle when the nozzle 24 is applying force to the cessive strain such as might distort it or result in objectionable displacement of the shoe if the lip is made of unusually flexible or yielding material. Furthermore, the operator is relieved of the necessity of exercising as much care under such conditions as he might otherwise have to exercise in order to guard against excessive strain on the lip.

In order to periit the shoe to be readily moved by the operator from one lasting position to an-' other the member 68 is retracted from engagement with the insole in each cycle of operations of the machine. In the construction herein. shown this is eifected by the operation of the same means that imparts to the staple-transferring slide 3% its upward movement as hereinbefore described. Pivotally mounted on a bar 166 which is fast on the link 36 but adjustable lengthwise thereof is a latch 108 arranged to engage a lug 110 on the block and thus to lift the block as the link 36 is lifted by the bellcrank lever 38. The bar 106 is held in adjusted position on the link 36 by a clamping screw 112 which extends through a slot in the bar and is threaded in the link. To guide the bar in its adjustment it is provided with pins 114 arranged to project into a slot 116 (Fig. 4) in. the link. To facilitate fine adjustment of the bar 106 there is a screw 118 threaded in a projection 126 at the upper end of the bar and bearing on the upper end of the link 36. A spring 142 (Fig. 1) tends to swing the latch 108 forwardly,'and its forward movement is adiustably limited by a screw 124i threaded in the latch and engaging a lug 126 on the link 36. It will be understood that the spring 122 yields to permit the lower end of the latch 168 to pass the lug 110 on the block so when the link 36 receives its downward movement after the forward movement of the slide 22. The upward movement of the link 36 and the rearward movement of the slide 22 begin at substantially the same time, but the latch 1G8 lifts the block 80 far enough to connect the latch 86 again with the projection 88 before the latch 108 is carried far enough rearwardly by re slide 22 to slip out from under the lug 116. The latch 108 is thus disconnected from the lug soon enough to avoid excessive upward movement of the blocl: 80. It will be understood that by adjustment of the bar 106 which determines the height of the latch 108 and adjustment of the screw 1% which determines the position of the latch with respect to swinging movement the time in the cycle when the latch is disconnected from the lug 110 may be accurately determined.

In the appended claims the term 'sole? is frequently used generically to refer to an insole or other shoe bottom part over which the marginal portion of the upper is lasted.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In. a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a device for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring independently of the overlaying means, and means for operating said device to release the member by the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe.

2. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts,

the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in diiferent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion or" the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator success sively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also en" gaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch supported independently of said overlaying means for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, and means for operating said latch to release the member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe.

3. In a'machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in different loca-- tions along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the mem ber initially retracted against the resistance of said spring independently of the overlaying means, and a device carried by the overlaying means for operating said latch to release the member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe.

4. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in diiferent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in diiferent positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a device for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring. and means movable into engagement with said device under control of the overlaying means to cause the device to release said member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe.

5. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in diiferent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member 'constructed and arranged to penetrate the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into position to penetrate the sole, a latch supported independently of said overlaying means for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, and a device carried by the overlaying means for operating said latch to release the member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe.

6. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom as the shoe is presented by the operator in different positions, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over an insole having a lip thereon after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest for engaging said lip to hold the shoe against lateraldisplacement in each overlaying operation, of a member constructed and arranged to penetrate the insole to assist in holding the shoe against such lateral displacement, a spring for moving said member into position to penetrate the insole, a device for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring independently of the overlaying means, and means for operating said device to release the member by the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe.

7. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion or" the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a device for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring independently of the overlaying means, mechanism controlled by the overlaying means for operating said device to release the member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe, and additional mechanism for returning the member to its initial position.

8. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a device for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring independently of the overlaying means, mechanism carried by the overlaying means for operating said device to release the member as the overlaying means moved toward the shoe, and additional mechanism movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the overlaying means to return said member to its initial position.

9. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, a device movable by the overlaying means for operating said latch to re lease the member as the overlayingv means is moved toward the shoe, and means arranged to act independently of said device to return the member to its initial position.

10. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, means for operating said latch to release the member, and mechanism comprising another latch movable to return the member to its initial position.

11. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, a device carried by the overlaying means for operating said latch to release the member as the overlaying means is moved toward the shoe, and mechanism comprising another latch movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the overlaying means for returning the member to its initial position.

12. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, mechanism movable to transfer staples into position to be driven into the shoe to hold the upper, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging he sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, means for moving said member into operative position in time relation to the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe, and means arranged to be operated by said staple-transferring mechanism to return the member to its initial position.

13. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in difierent locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, mechanism movable to transfer staples into position to be driven into the shoe to hold the upper, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in different positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement in each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, means for operating said latch to release the member by the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe, and another latch carried by said staple-transferring mechanism for returning said member to its initial position as the overlaying means is moved away from the shoe.

14. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for pulling a shoe upper over a last successively in different locations along the edge of the shoe bottom, overlaying means movable toward the shoe to lay the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over a sole on the last after each upper-pulling operation, mechanism movable to transfer staples into position to be driven into the shoe to hold the upper, and a shoe rest arranged to engage the sole as the shoe is presented by the operator successively in diiferent positions for the operation of the machine thereon, of a member for also engaging the sole to assist in holding the shoe against lateral displacement each overlaying operation, a spring for moving said member into operative position, a latch for holding the member initially retracted against the resistance of said spring, means for operating said latch to release the member by the movement of the overlaying means toward the shoe, and a device arranged to be operated by said staple-transferring mechanism to return the member to its initial position.

BENJAMIN B. BLANCHARD. 

